Printing counter for fluid meters



w. F. BERCK 2,127,243

FOR FLUID METERS Aug. 16, 1938.

PRINTING COUNTER Filed Nov. '7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l VENTOR;

BY W of W ATTORN g Sf Aug. 16, 1938. w. F. BERCK 2,127,243

' BRINTING COUNTER FOR FLUID METERs Filed Nov. '7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 on. COMPANY 1056 -A Strict. sfl l fanaisco.

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Customer: Ordnme and Adolrtih Casfcmtf's Na INVENTOR. Inscri this end 7 Tags eund hut I BY I ATTORN S.

. to provide measured thereby as er shown in Fig.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,127,248 PRINTING COUNTER FOR FLUID METERS William F.

Ralph N. Brodie 2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to fluid meters and relates more particularly to counting mechanism for such meters by means or which a printed be made to indicate the quantity of fluid that has passed through the meter so that parties buying or selling fluid may be furnished with an accurate printed account of the quantity of fluid metered. I

It is the object of the present invention to provide means for combination with a fluid meter that will make possible the printing of a record disclosing the exact passed through the meter, to provide a device that is safeguarded against tampering to alter or render incorrect the record printed thereby and to provide a device that-is simple in construction and easily operated without undue loss of time by the attendant controlling the delivery of fluid through the meter.- It is more specifically the object of this invention to provide a device that will be operated by a fluid meter to bring into a printing position a series of type numbers that will represent the number of gallons or other yolumetric units that have passed throughthe meter, to provide for the printing of said numbers on apiece of paper, and also for the printing of zeros on the same piece of paper prior to the commencement of operation of the meter to assure the purchaser that the printing and counting mechanism. has been set to zero before measurement of the fluid and to provide means to prevent a second operation of the printing counteruntil it has been reset to a zero reading after the first operation.

In the following description I will refer to the meter as an oil meter and to the volumetric units gallons but it is to be understood that the mechanism to be described is e ually applicable to'meters for various types of fluids and that the measurement may be in any desired units.

One form of my invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings and described in greater .ther of its objects and advantages are made apparent.

in the drawings lg. l is a plan view partially in section of a accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the printing count- 1 also partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line the line IV-IV of Fig. 1

Derek, Oakland, Calif.,

Company, corporation or California Application November 1, 1933, Serial No.

amount of fluid that has detail in the following specification in which fur-- printing counter for fluid meters constructed in assirnor to akland, CaliL. a

with the casing and other extraneous parts removed to illustrate the sales slip holding and manipulating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 1 with extraneous parts removed to illustrate the 5 construction of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line VL-VI of Fig.

1 with extraneous parts removed toillustrate the construction of the mechanism for aligning the type numbers printing operation takes place and for locking the printing counter against operation during printing and resetting.

Fig; 'I is a sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. l with extraneous parts removed to show 15 the construction of the pawl and ratchet wheel employed for preventing reverse rotation of the operating crank.

Fig. 8 is a view of a sales slip showing numerals as applied thereto by the printing mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I show a casing II). This casing, which may be suitably secured to a fluid meter, contains a counting mechanism generally indicated at II. This counting mechanism may be replaced by any conventional counter as its operation has no particular bearing on the subject matter of the present application.

A small registering mechanism I2 is also disposed within the casing 10 and is driven through gears l3 and H which connect it with a shaft 22, which shaft is'rotated by the counting mechanism H as will hereinafter appear. The counting mechanism II is operated through a worm gear i5a'nd a worm (not shown) carried by a shaft I1, which shaft is rotated by operation of the meter in a well known manner.

The present invention is more directly concerned with a printing counter generally indicated at It which comprises a suitable number of rotat- 40 able counter wheels which are of. conventional design except that the numerals naught to nine inclusive on their outer peripheries are type figures rather than the ordinary printed figures. These counter wheels are equipped with set baclc pawls and transfer plates in the usual manner to provide means for carrying over from units to tens and from tens to hundreds, etc., and for resetting the wheels to zero.

The means for driving the printing counter mechanism is as follows: A gear 20, which rotates with the set back counting mechanism H meshes with a gear 2| pinned to the' shaft 22. The rotation of the gear 2| imparts rotation to a star wheel 23 and a gear 24 which are fixed on the printing counter before the 10.

with relation to a common hub member but free- When the sales slip has been properly posily rotatable on the shaft 22. A friction clutch tioned, the operator rotates a crank 43 which which includes a collar pinned to the shaft extends to a position exteriorly of the casing In 22 and a spring 26 causes the gear 24 normally through one complete revolution. This moveto rotate with the gear 2 The function of the ment of the crank 43 centers the type on the the printing counter to be locked during the on that is not exactly in line to print properly printing operation without affecting the regiswill be brought into alignment with the other tering mechanism i2. numbers. The same operation of the crank tates a barrel 28 to which it is fixed. The oppoprinting counter back to zero, then moves the site end of the barrel 28 carries a gear 29 mesh tray 32, which carries the sales slip, to a position the meter imparts driving movement through crank has been completed. the mechanism above described to operate the A description of the mechanism through which through the meter.

The forward face of the casing i0 is provided which extends through the casing ID. This shaft with a slot II through which a piece of paper is fitted with a centralizing cam as illustrated at cated on the counter. It should be understood wheel 49 fixed to the shaft 44, as shown in Fig. 30 that printing ink is not necessary to this oper- 7 of the drawings, and a spring-pressed pawl 50 ation as the sales slips may be in duplicate or serve to prevent operation of the crank 43 except triplicate treated with carbon on one side or havin a clockwise direction.

ing carbon paper between them so that mere Upon the initial turning movement of the pressure of the slips against the printing councranir 43 a. spring-pressed pawl 5! (see Fig. 6) ter will cause printing of the numbers upon is urged into engagement with the star wheel th In using the device, the attendant inserts a to the ten numerals on the wheels of the printsales slip into the slot 3! as described and then ing counter and as the star wheel is fixed with actuates the device in a manner presently to be relation to the gear 24, which forms a part of described to print zeros onthe sales slip, lndicatthe driving mechanism of the printing counter, ing that the printing counter has been set to the pawl 51, which has a pointed end correspondzero before dispensing .of the oil. The valve is ing in shape to the spaces between the points rate record. with the star wheel 23 is eifected by a cam 52 In order to insert the sales slip, the operator fixed to the shaft 44 and bearing against a roller mustflrst lift a plate 34 which normally covers 53 on the pawl. Due to the shape of the cam 52, the slot 3|. This plate 34, as best illustrated in the pawl is held in engagement with the star Fig. 4 of the drawings, is carried by arms 35 wheel except when the crank 43 has completed When the plate 34 is lifted to insert the sales which yieldably connects the star wheel 23 and slip, a lug 38 on one of the arms 35 contacts the gear 24 with the shaft 22 permits this oper- H which bears against the tray 32 to hold the The mechanism for printing is illustrated in sales slip securely in position under tension of a Fig. 5 wherein a printing plate 54 is shown as; spring 42. After the sales slip is inserted between supported on pivoted arms 55, which arms are the presser plate 40 and the tra the attendant urged downwardly by a spring 56. A cam 57 fixed initial position. This permits he D esser plate a roller 58 but upon rotation of the shaft 44 and 40 to swin downwardly r m i elevated p cam 51 the printing plate 54 descends under the on the tray and will move with the tray when the the printing counter. Upon further rotation of tray is moved from the first printing position to the crank, the cam 51 operates to again raise the the second printing position. printing plate 54.

The mechanismfor setting the printing counter which causes the lug 38 to engage the arm 39 zero after the printing operation has taken to release the sales slip, whereupon it may be lace is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in removed and a copy thereof handed to the cusrhich figure a mutilated gear 59 is shown as tomer. The lifting movement of the plate 34 also ixed to the shaft 44. The mutilated gear. 59 upon causes the lug 38 to become disengaged from the 5 leing rotated with the shaft 44 engages an idler shoulder behind the inclined surface 66, thus perinion 60 which is in mesh with a gear 6| fixed mitting the tray 32 to return to its original poto the reset shaft 62 of the printing counter. The sition under tension of the spring 42. ratio between the gears 59, 60 and Si is such From the foregoing it will be apparent that I that a complete revolution of the gear is effected have provided a device for combination with a 10 upon operation of the crank through one cycle fluid meter which may be operated to print upon and the printing counter is reset to zero by cona sales slip or the like accurately the number ventional mechanism that is well known to the. of gallons that have been dispensed through the meter and a device whi h, though simple in con- The sales slips must now be moved to a posistruction and operation. provides ample secution for the next printing operation and this rity against improper recording of the amount of movement is effected by means of a crank 63 fluid delivered, because the customer is furnished which rotates on the same axis and simultanewith a sales slip having printed thereon the corously with the gear GI and carries a pin 64. The rect amount of the fluid delivered to him and the pin 84 engages a downwardlydepending lug 55 on printing counting mechanism is locked during the tray 32 and through such engagement-moves the printing operation so that the amount dethe tray rearwardly of the casing the desired livered will be accurately printed on the cusdistance. This movement of the tray may be fatomers slip. cilitated by rollers such as shown at 64a. During While I have illustrated and described a prethis rearward movement of the tray, the lug 38 ferred form of my invention, it is tobe underon the arm 35 rides over an inclined surface 66 stood that various changes may be resorted to in on an upturned edgemf the tray and then falls the construction and arrangement of the several behind the abrupt shoulder which terminates this parts thereof within the spirit and scope of the inclined surface. The lug 38 in this position appended claims. locks the tray in the position to which it has Having thus described my invention, what I been moved and the presser plate 40, which durclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: ing this operation of the tray has been undis- 1. A device of the character described includturbed, causes the sales slip to move with the ing a printing counter, a casing enclosing said tray. The presser plate 40 is pivotally mounted counter and having a slot formed therein for the on and is carried by the tray, and after the sales reception of a paper slip to be printed upon by 35 slip is placed in position and the closure plate 34 said counter, a tray for supporting said slip adlowered as before described and the presser plate jacent the counter for printing operation, a clopermitted to clamp the sales slip upon the tray, sure member normally covering said slot, clampthe sales slip moves with the tray and is held in ing means for holding the paper to the tray,

place by the presser plate when the lug 38 means for moving to a disengaging position said 9 is engaged by the inclined surface 86 of the tray clamping means upon opening of said closure to cause it to engage with the shoulder of the member to insert a slip, means for advancing tray it is not lifted sufllciently to cause it to ensaid tray relative to the counter after one printgage the arm 39 of the presser plate so that the ing operation, means for locking said tray in the presser plate is permitted to remain undisturbed advanced position for a second printing opera- 45 in engagement with the sales slip and hold the tion, and means actuated by opening of the closales slip firmly in position upon the tray wherei sure to release said locking means.

by the sales slip is carried with the tray to the 2. A device of the character described includsecond printing position. ing a printing counter,- a casing enclosing said At this time the crank 43 has completed its u ter and hav n a Opening h insertion cycle of operation and the zeros have been printed of a paper slip to be printed upon by said counupon the sales slip as illustrated at 61 in Fig. 8. ter, a tray movably mounted above the counter The fluid to be delivered is now permitted to ass for supp tin sa d s di n h ount r, a through the meter and operation of the meter movable closure member normally covering the drives the printing counter in the manner deopening in the casing, a presser plate mounted 55 scribed. When the desired number of gallons has on and carried by the tray for clamping the slip ed through the meter and this number is upon the tray, coacting means on the presser registered on the printing counter, the control plate and the closure member for enabling the valve is closed and the crank 43 is again rotated closure member to lift the presser plate and perthrough a comp ete cycle, thus printing the quanmit the slip to be inserted between the presser 6o tity delivered on the slip as indicated at 68 in plate and the tray. and m ans f r advan h Fig. 8 of the drawings. This second operation tray relative to the counter after one printing of the crank differs from the first operation above operation and while the slip is held by the presser described only in that it does not effect a moveplate to carry the tray and the slip to a second 65 ment of the sales slip tray. printing position. I

At this time the operator lifts the plate 34, WILLIAM F. BERCK. 

